Women CEOs are taking the outdoor industry by storm, blending decades of experience with a new, much-needed perspective.
The outdoor industry is becoming more conscious and more diverse as women and people of color take the lead to actualize change. They’re building products and businesses to fulfill their needs.
Some of this change is happening from within our predominantly white, male-dominated space, but at a sometimes glacial pace. Many accomplished businesswomen still go largely unacknowledged.
Take Alpacka Raft founder Sheri Tingey. Now in her 70s, Tingey spent 20 years innovating the world’s most cutting-edge packrafts, arguably spearheading a new adventure sport. Yet she’s not widely known like her contemporary, Yvon Chouinard.
And Teresa Baker, 56, founded five DEI-focused events/organizations and, in 2018, the 185-member strong Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge. Yet Camber Outdoors, which is run by predominantly white people at the time (it’s now run by a more diverse group), launched a “first of its kind” diversity pledge in 2019 — a year after telling Baker its members weren’t ready to tackle diversity, reported Outside Magazine.
Communities of color have always been in the outdoors, Baker explained in the film Here We Stand, whether that’s recreating, working on environmental issues, or fighting for a more diverse outdoors. “But you don’t see us. We are not out front, and that’s the problem.”
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But a shift is happening.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association’s New Outdoor Participant report for 2020, participation by women and minorities is increasing: 46% of outdoor enthusiasts are women and 34% are people of color. The women in this article — white, Black, Latino, Asian — are taking their place front and center.
And, they’re bringing with them a new paradigm of thinking about how businesses in the outdoor industry can be run.
Angelica ‘Cheech’ Casaverde — Founder, Casa Verde Clothing
Angelica Casaverde is using her love of cycling, background in fashion design, and passion for sustainability to bring innovative styles of small-batch clothing into the cycling industry.
From Fashion Design to Sustainability
Speaking Up & Building Community
Susan Clayton — Founder, WhitePaw RunMitts
Susan Clayton saw a product that didn’t exist, recognized the need, and created it herself. She strives to support local manufacturers, broaden her products reach, and bring runners everywhere together.
An Entrepreneur, Filling a Need
Go Small & Stay Home
Heidi Wirtz — Founder, Earthplay Retreats
Professional athlete Heidi “Almighty” Wirtz didn’t start a business just to make some cash. Rather, she sought out how one activity — yoga — could be beneficial and impactful when paired with another activity — rock climbing. Then, she built an entire platform to encourage others to try both.
Yoga for Climbers
Pushing Just a Little Bit Further
Kristin Carpenter — Founder, Verde Brand Communications
Kristin Carpenter is widely respected in the outdoor industry as a force on a bicycle, an articulate podcast host, and founder and co-leader of one of the industry’s most storied public relations firms.
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